File photo: A mother breastfeeding her child
By Judith Ukoh
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from the 1st- 7th of August.
Its aim is to spread awareness about the importance of breastfeeding, normalising it and promoting its benefits.
The theme set by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) for this year is: “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents.”
The theme this year highlights the working parent and the ongoing need for support services during parental leave and on returning to work.
This theme couldn’t come at a better time. Parents are more stretched than ever, navigating hard financial times and increased pressures to return to work as quickly as possible after having a baby. It has never been more important to have this conversation and promote breastfeeding in the workplace.
In the course of the World Breastfeeding Week, there will be a lot of talk about challenging those in positions of authority to make changes to the way we support and protect breastfeeding in the workplace.
This is because workplace challenges remain the most common reason for women to never breastfeed or to stop breastfeeding earlier than recommended.
File photo: A mother breastfeeding her child
Parents no doubt need adequate time and support to breastfeed. Parents with less than 3 months of maternity leave reported shorter breastfeeding duration than those with 3 or more months of leave.
Thus, a workplace needs adequate breastfeeding facilities to become a breastfeeding-friendly workplace. Only 42 countries mandate workplace breastfeeding facilities. More needs to be done to change this and make it possible for more countries to adapt mandatory facilities for nursing mothers.
The importance of breastfeeding cannot be overemphasised. Breastfeeding has so many benefits for both mother and baby and is one of the most effective ways to support child health. It has also been associated with a reduction of a number of health conditions later in life such as diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal issues and cancers. Additionally, women who breastfeed have a decreased risk of ovarian and breast cancers.
Of course breastfeeding isn’t always an easy journey and it doesn’t always work out for everyone. Whilst there are so many amazing benefits of breastfeeding, it is a lot of work, both physical and emotionally demanding.
And, for some mothers there can be a number of issues associated including severe pain, mastitis, issues latching and more which can significantly impact mental health. In some, breastfeeding may be more harmful to their health to persist with and in these circumstances know that that is completely okay! Not every mum has a wonderful experience breastfeeding, and there are alternative options made available for a reason.
But what we do know is that the more support a mother receives and the more investment put into services that provide support in regards to their breastfeeding journey, the better the outcome for the mother, child and the world at large.
When mothers and babies benefit, EVERYONE benefits.
As we celebrate this beautiful and empowering week, let’s appreciate the incredible process of breastfeeding women’s body are capable of.
Let’s remember to support and empower all the mothers out there who have chosen this wonderful path of nourishing their babies naturally. It’s not always an easy journey, but with love, encouragement, and understanding, we can make it a smoother ride.
Let’s also raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and the need for a breastfeeding-friendly world. Let’s break down barriers and promote an inclusive environment where every mother feels comfortable and supported in her choice to breastfeed.
So, here’s to all the incredible mothers out there – your love, care, and dedication are making a positive impact on the world. Happy World Breastfeeding Week! Let’s continue to nourish and nurture our little ones.
Click to watch our video of the week:
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